About Michael J. Schneider:
Michael Schneider is a retired civil engineer who spent 31 years working for the Federal Government. In 1987 he got interested in writing and, after completing a couple of correspondence courses, produce two young adult novels: "Brendan of Kilrush" and "The Secret of Sangre de Cristo". Later he decided to write a historical romance. He took a short course, "Writing the Romance Novel" at the University of Iowa. His instructor was the noted author, Leigh Michaels. Following completion of this course, he authored "Rebecca and the Renegade" which takes place in Western Pennsylvania near the end of the Revolutionary War.

What inspires you to write?
I've always like reading a good story or watching movies of television stories that tell a good story. Growing up I was always interested in history, so I particularly like reading about past heroes like Robert E. Lee, George Washington, etc. I also enjoyed the historical stories Walt Disney produced on television. The Swamp Fox, Davy Crockett and the Scarecrow of Romney Marsh are a few examples. Although I have written a few non-fiction books, I prefer the novel because I don't have the pain of crediting my resources. I hope someday there will be a movie adaptation of one of my novels.

Tell us about your writing process.
I'm generally an outliner. I feel the need to have some direction on where I going with the story. I don't stick to the outline rigidly, however. I often change course when a new idea strikes. In the past I've just created an outline in "Word" by writing a phrase or sentence to describe each step. Currently I'm using a whiteboard. I usually rough out the main characters before writing the draft, but the minor ones I tend to develop later. I write at a desktop computer in my home office. I try to make some contribution to the project at hand every day. More recently, I've spent more time researching that writing.

How do you develop your characters?
My characters don't "speak to me", but I strive to make them believable. Since I often write about characters in an historical setting, I try to make sure the characters fit that setting.

He isn’t supposed to even talk to a human, much less fall in love with one…

Ryann Carroll has just run into the guy who saved her life ten years ago. You might think she’d be happy to see him again. Not exactly. She’s a bit underdressed (as in skinny-dipping) and he’s not supposed to exist.

After her father’s affair, all Ryann wants is to escape the family implosion fallout and find a little peace. She also wouldn’t mind a first date that didn’t suck, but she’s determined not to end up like her mom: vulnerable, betrayed, destroyed. Ryann’s just moved into her grandma’s house in rural Mississippi, the same place where ten years earlier she became lost in the woods overnight and nearly died.

She’s still irresistibly drawn to those woods. There she encounters the boy who kept her from freezing to death that long ago winter night and was nowhere to be seen when rescuers arrived. He’s still mysterious, but now all grown-up and gorgeous, too. And the more she’s with him, the greater the threat he poses to Ryann’s strict policy– never want someone more than he wants you.

Lad knows the law of his people all too well: Don’t get careless and Don’t get caught.
It’s allowed his race to live undetected in this world for thousands of years, mentioned only in flawed and fading folklore. Lad’s never been able to forget about Ryann since that night ten years ago. When he sees her again, his fascination re-ignites and becomes a growing desire that tempts him to break all the rules. He’s not even supposed to talk to a human, much less fall in love with one.

And the timing is atrocious. The Assemblage is coming, the rift between the Light and Dark is widening. Lad may have to trade his own chance at happiness to keep the humans, especially Ryann, blissfully ignorant and safe.

Romantic and gripping, Hidden Deep will transport fans of urban fantasy sagas like The Mortal Instruments and paranormal romance series like Twilight to a fascinating world within our own, filled with suspense, danger, and desire. If you love Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, and the Fae, Amy Patrick’s sexy, magical Hidden Saga will captivate you!

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